Florida Keys Mini Season 2024

Last week, I had the chance to dive into the Florida Keys’ annual Mini Lobster Season, held on July 24th and 25th. Although the weather wasn't ideal, it was a significant improvement over last year, allowing for plenty of memorable moments as we searched for and caught lobsters with family and friends.

Growing up in the Florida Keys, it’s fascinating to see how this "holiday" has evolved since my childhood. The popularity of mini lobster season is understandable—lobster is not only thrilling to catch, but also delicious to eat. However, it’s crucial to remember our responsibility to preserve the ocean's delicate ecosystem for future generations to enjoy. Not only does it ensure the preservation of marine biodiversity, it supports global climate stability, and provides essential resources and recreational opportunities that both sustain and enrich human life.

Among my personal highlights of this year's mini season was seeing my almost two-year-old niece’s delight as she encountered a live lobster for the first time, savoring the fruits of our labor with a fresh seafood feast, and simply enjoying quality time on the water. 

Here are some statistics from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office lobster mini season wrap up, detailing other events which occurred during mini season:

"Wednesday:

• An adult male diving for lobster near the Boca Chica Bridge in the Lower Keys was reportedly struck by a boat propeller and flown to a Miami hospital via Trauma Star at approximately 8:09 a.m. Wednesday. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is the investigating agency.
• The were no reported injuries after the Sheriff’s Office rescued four people from a vessel that was taking on water near Mile Marker 39 on the oceanside at approximately 11:33 a.m. Wednesday. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were notified.
• A person diving for lobster approximately one mile offshore of Tavernier on the oceanside found a package of suspected cocaine at approximately 2:14 p.m. Wednesday. The package was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Thursday:

• There were no major incidents Thursday reported directly related to mini season.

Overall, the 2024 lobster mini season was typical for the Sheriff’s Office. Most people were in compliance and the number of vessel stops, notice-to-appear in court citations, and arrest figures were normal/ typical compared to recent years.

The following are the combined numbers for Wednesday and Thursday from all four Sheriff’s Office Districts from Key Largo to Key West. These numbers do not include data from our law enforcement partners such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Highway Patrol, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard:

• Approximately 504 vessel stops/resource/ safety inspections
• No physical arrests
• Approximately 12 mandatory notice to appear in court citations for wildlife violations — mostly for possession of undersized lobster."